Goods display holder



Aug. 31, 1937. I E. A. EKEDAHL El' AL 2,091,355.

GOODS DISPLAY HOLDER Filed Dec. 15, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1ErikflEIzeaahz,

Eric cfohnson,

Aug. 31, 1937. E. A. EKEDAHL ET AL GOODS DISPLAY HOLDER Filed Dec. 15,1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ErikflEiiedah Er 3% W,

Whnson,

Aug. 31, 1937. E. A. EKEDAHL ET AL, 2,091,355

GOODS DISPLAY HOLDER Filed Dec. 15', 1936 s Sheets-Sheet :s

Erihfllimedahz, EricMckhnson,

Gamma;

Patented Aug. 31, 1937 I PATENT OFFICE GOODS DISPLAY HOLDER ErikAugustus Ekedahl and Eric Magnus Johnson, Youngstown, Ohio, assignors toThe General Fireproofing Company, Youngstown, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application December 15, 1936, Serial No. 116,025

6 Claims.

This invention relates to store furniture and has generally in view toprovide an attractive top finishing means for the shelving and also toserve as an effective goods display holder.

Although the structure may be formed as a single unit of any desiredlength corresponding to any particular length of shelving, it may beformedin relatively short length duplicate sections orunits to'facilitate obtaining, in effect, a

10 single, continuous unit of any desired length by employing a numberof the sections or units in end to end relationship. In either case, aspecial object of the invention is to provide a box-like structureclosed at its top, bottom and rear and .215 having an open front whichis continuously open from end to end of the structure, as distinguishedfrom being interrupted by partitions or other supports which mightdetract from the attractive appearance of the structure and interferewith the display of goods contained therein. 1 Another special object ofthe invention is to providean ornamental goods display holder orstructure ofthe character mentioned and for the use referred to which,while open at its front, and while devoid of open-front interruptingpartitions or other supports, nevertheless embodies aconstructionwhereby it is strong and self-sustaining.

Another special object of the invention is to provide'novelreinforcement means for the structureservingin part, to facilitate rapidand rigid connection of adjacent sections or units of the structure inend to end relationship.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a structure of thecharacter mentioned which is of simple design and of low productioncost.

.With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will become morefully apparent as the nature -of the invention is better understood, thesame consists in the novel features of construction, combination andarrangement of elements as Will be hereinafter more fullydescribed,illustrated inthe accompanying drawings and defined in the-appendedclaims.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference denotecorresponding parts in the different views:--

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a shortlength of storeshelving equipped at its top with-the present ornamental, goods displaystructure.

I Figure 2-is an enlarged cross sectional view of the goods displaystructure.

Figure 3,is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure'2.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 2. 5, Figure5 is anelevation of a blank from which one of the reinforcement elements of thestructure is formed.

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view through the lower portionof the structure i1lustrating a soffit for use therewith over aisleopenings or other interruptions in the shelving; and

Figure '7 is an end elevation having an end closure for the structure.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A designates, generally, a bank ofshelving which, in itself, forms no part of the present invention andwhich, therefore, may be of any known construction, the same being shownmerely to illustrate the ornamental and utilitarian adaptation theretoof a goods display structure, designated generally as E, constructed inaccordance with one practical embodiment of the invention.

As previously stated, the structure B preferably is formed as duplicatesections or units to be secured together in end to end relationship toprovide, in effect, a single continuous unit of any desired length.Also, as previously stated, the structure B preferably is of box-likeform closed at its top, bottom and rear and open at its front.Preferably, too, the body portion, at least, of said structure is formedfrom sheet metal, and since said body portion is of box-like, openfront, cross sectional form, it is readily capale of being formedpractically and economically from a single sheet of metal. Thus, inaccordance with a preferred construction, the body portion of eachsection or unit of the structure is formed from a single sheet of metalbent to provide, in cross section, primarily a top wall I8, a rear wallI l and a bottom wall I 2. Said body portion may, however, be formedfrom any desired number of separate sheets of metal or other material.In any event, at the front of the top wall 10' there is provided adepending wall [3 of any suitable height to perform the dual purpose ofshielding from the view of a person looking at the structure from thefront thereof one or more electric lamps or other suitable illuminatingdevices I 4 mounted in any suitable manner within the upper, frontportion of the structure, and to provide either a direct supportingmeans for an advertising or other card, label or the like, or a supporton which a holder for any advertising or other card, label or the likemay be mounted. In the present instance the wall I3 is formed as anintegral, downward extension of the top wall H3 and at its bottom isbent first outwardly and then upwardly to provide an open-top channel toreceive and hold'the bottom portion of a card, label or the like, andthere is welded or otherwise suitably secured to said wall [3 a plate i5which, at its top, is bent first outwardly and then downwardly toprovide an open-bottom channel to receive and hold the top portion of acard, label or the like. Thus, one part of such card or label holder iscomprised by the wall l3 and the other part thereof is comprised by theplate i5. Obviously, however, the bottom channel of said holder, insteadof being formed on the wall i3, may be formed on the bottom of the platel5.

The top wall in does not extend entirely to the rearmost portion of thebox-like structure, but terminates a suitable distance forwardlythereof, from which point the upper portion il of the rear wall extendsat a downward and rearward inclination until it meets the rear wallproper at a point approximately midway between the top and the bottom ofthe structure. Thus, the said upper portion ii of the rear wallconstitutes a light deflector effective to deflect light rays emanatingfrom the concealed lamp or lamps i4 downwardly and forwardly upon goodscontained within the structure. In other words, the lamp and deflectorarrangement described provides for the effective, indirect, floodlightillumination of goods, displayed within the structure B.

Preferably a terrace or shelf is provided at the lower, inner portion ofthe structure B on which to display small articles, and in order toprovide this terrace or shelf the lower portion of the rear wall of saidstructure is forwardly offset. In other words, at a suitable point abovethe bottom of the structure B the rear wall ii is directed forwardly anysuitable distance, as indicated at if, and then is directed downwardlyas indicated at E8, meeting the bottom wall H2 at a point spacedinwardly from the front edge thereof.

At its front, the bottom wall i2 first is directed downwardly a shortdistance and then is directed inwardly, thereby forming a channel 19serving to reinforce and stiffen said bottom wall at its front.Moreover, in order further to reinforce and stiffen said bottom wall, aplate 20 is welded or otherwise suitably secured against the under sidethereof, said plate having a downwardly directed flange at its frontdisposed within the channel at the front of said bottom wall and weldedor riveted to the front wall of said channel. As will be noted, thefront of the bottom wall i2 is disposed inwardly with respect to thewall i3 so as to afford a clear view from below and in front of thestructure of goods contained therein.

Against the front wall of the channel I9 is welded or otherwise suitablysecured a plate 2| having its top and bottom portions turned outwardlyand downwardly and outwardly and upwardly, respectively, to providechannels for the reception of the upper and lower edge portions oflabels, advertising cards or the like.

In order to reinforce and stiffen the lower, inner portion of thestructure B, there is provided at each end of said structure, and, ifdesired, at one or more points intermediate the ends of said structure,within the terrace or shelf formation thereof, a plate 22 of a size tofit said formation and having marginal flanges welded or otherwisesuitably secured to the walls of said formation. The blank from whichone of said plates is formed is illustrated in Fig. 5, from which figureit will be observed that said blank comprises a rectangular body portion23 of a height corresponding to the height of the wall i8, and of awidth corresponding to the width of the wall 11,

and having top, side and bottom wings 24 which are adapted to be bent atright angles to said body portion to provide the marginal flangesaforementioned, the front side wing or flange terminating above thebottom of the body portion 23 to permit the front end portion of thebottom wing or flange to be turned upwardly, and the said bottom wing orflange extending rearwardly beyond the rear edge of said body portion tobe turned downwardly as indicated at 25 in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Cooperating with the plates 22 to additionally reinforce and stiffen thebody of the structure B and to provide flanges to be bolted together tosecure different units or sections of said structure B in end to endrelationship, are light angle-iron members 26, one of which is providedat each end of each section or unit and each of which comprises a topportion welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the top of the top wallIn, and a rear portion welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the backof the rear wall I l and also to the rear flange of the related plate 22and to the downwardly turned portion 25 of the bottom flange of saidplate 22. These angle-iron members serve to prevent any sagging of thetop wall of the structure B and cooperate with the plates 22 toreinforce and stiffen the lower rear portion of said structure so thatthe upper portion of said structure, considered as a whole, is heldagainst sagging relative to the bottom wall thereof. Moreover, theoutwardly directed flanges of said angleiron members are apertured sothat when any two sections or units of the structure are disposed in endto end relationship, bolts may be passed through the apertures in theangle-iron members at the adjacent ends of the units to securely fastenthem in end to end relationship.

To support the structure B on a bank of shelving, channel-iron members21 are employed. These channel-iron members may be fastened to the topof the shelving, or to the bottom of the structure B, or they may beloose with respect to both the shelving and said structure B. In anyevent, two of said channel-iron members preferably are employed, one tounderlie the bottom wall l2 of the structure B near the front thereof,and the other to underlie said structure at the rear thereof and toreceive the foot-like formations formed by the lower end portions of theangle-iron members 26 which extend below the plane of the bottom wall l2of the structure B.

At the end of any particular length of the structure B said structuremay be closed by a plate 28 bolted to the outwardly directed flange ofthe angle-iron member 26 at the end of the structure and also to aninwardly directed flange 29 at the end of the wall l3, there being aninwardly directed flange 29 at each end of the wall i 3 of each sectionor unit of the structure B to be bolted together in the case of any twoof the sections being disposed in end to end relationship, to assist inneatly securing the sections or units together.

In some cases the structure B may extend over an opening or doorway inthe shelving A, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. In that caseit is desirable to provide a neat finish for the bottom of saidstructure B where it is exposed at the top of said opening or doorway.Accordingly, there is provided for use with the structure B a sofiit 30as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings. This sofiit is of pan-likeform and of a width to underlie and conceal the bottom of the structureB and is provided with finishing front and rear, upwardly turned flanges3| and with end flanges 32 to be bolted or otherwise suitably secured tothe Walls of the shelving forming the sides of the opening or doorwaytherein. 5 From the foregoing description considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings it is believed that the construction and theadvantages of the present ornamental, goods display structure will beclearly understood. It is desired to point out, however, that while onlya single specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, the same is readily capable of various modifications andembodiment in specifically different mechanical constructions within thespirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:- 1. A goods display holder unit of the character describedcomprising a box-like structure closed at its top, bottom and rear andopen at its ends and front, the rear wall of said holder being directedforwardly at a point above the bottom wall and then downwardly to thebottom wall to provide the top and front walls, respectively of a goodssupporting terrace, and plates fitted into the space below and behindsaid terrace walls, re-

spectively, and fastened to said terrace walls to stiffen and reinforcethe holder against sagging of the upper portion thereof relative to thelower portion thereof.

2. A goods display holder unit of the character described comprising abox-like structure closed at its top, bottom and rear and open at itsends and front, the rear wall of said holder being directedforwardly ata point above the bottom wall and then downwardly to the bottom wall toprovide the top and front walls, respectively, of a goods supportingterrace, plates fitted into the space below and behind said terracewalls, respectively, and fastened to said terrace Walls to stiffen andreinforce the holder against sagging of the upper portion thereofrelative to the lower portion thereof, and angle-iron members extendingacross the top of the holder and fastened to 45 the top wall thereof andalso extending downwardly across the back of the holder and fastened tothe rear wall thereof and also to the rear portions of said plates toadditionally stiffen and reinforce the holder and to hold the top wallthereof against sagging.

3. A goods display holder unit of the character described comprising asheet metal box-like structure closed at its top, bottom and rear andopen at its ends and front, the medial portion of the rear wall of saidstructure being disposed vertically and the upper portion of said rearWall being inclined upwardly and forwardly to the rear end of the topwall of said structure, the said top Wall being disposed horizontally,and vertically and horizontally disposed strap members fastened to saidrear and top walls, respectively, and joined together at their upper andrear ends, respectively, substantially at the intersection of the planeof said top wall with the plane of the medial portion of the rear wall.

4. A goods display holder unit of the char- 'acter described comprisinga sheet metal box-like structure closed at its top, bottom and rear andopen at its ends and front, the medial portion of the rear wall of saidstructure being disposed vertically, the upper portion of said rear wallbeing inclined upwardly and forwardly to the rear end of the top Wall ofsaid structure, the said top Wall being disposed horizontally, the rearwall at the bottom of its medial vertically disposed portion beingdirected first forwardly and then downwardly to provide the top andfront walls, respectively, of a terrace, plates fitted into the spacebelow and. behind said terrace walls, respectively, and fastened to saidterrace walls, vertically disposed strap members fastened to the medialportion of the rear wall of said holder and to the rear edges of saidplates, and horizontal strap members fastened to the top wall of saidholder, said straps being joined together at their upper and rear ends,respectively, substantially at the intersection of the plane of themedial portion of said rear wall with the plane of said top wall of saidholder.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 3 in which a pair of the strapmembers are disposed, respectively, at the ends of the unit and areapertured for the reception of bolts to fasten the ends of the unit tothe ends of other units.

6. A goods display holder unit of the character described comprising asheet metal box-like structure closed at its top, bottom and rear andopen at its ends and front, the medial portion of the rear wall of saidstructure being disposed vertically, the upper portion of said rear wallbeing inclined upwardly and forwardly to the rear end of the top wall ofsaid structure, the said top wall being disposed horizontally, the rearwall at the bottom of its medial vertically disposed portion beingdirected first forwardly and then downwardly to provide the top andfront walls,

respectively, of a terrace, means cooperating with.

said terrace formation to reinforce and stiffen said holder, verticallydisposed strap members fastened to the medial portion of the rear wallof said holder, and horizontal strap members fastened to the top wall ofsaid holder, said strap members being joined together at their upper andrear ends, respectively, substantially at the intersection of the planeof the medial portion of said rear wall with the plane of said top Wallof said holder.

ERIK A. EKEDAHL.

ERIC M. JOHNSON.

